


Two out of Three

by There_Once_Was_A_Girl



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Multi, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-06
Updated: 2016-12-06
Packaged: 2018-09-06 20:28:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8768089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/There_Once_Was_A_Girl/pseuds/There_Once_Was_A_Girl
Summary: Alicia Zimmermann has never been able to love just one person. There have been Three loves of her life, and they have never had the good grace to come one at a time. Nothing goes perfectly for Alicia, but in the end, two out three isn't so bad.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [somethingsalwayswrong](https://archiveofourown.org/users/somethingsalwayswrong/gifts).



> Okay so I made Georgia much older than she actually is, she's now Alicia's age and they went to school together! Whoops. Idk I was struggling to write these two together so things got changed, but I know how much it sucks to a ship a rare-pair so I wanted to do this! Also I was incapable of writing a story in which the Zimmermanns don't love each other dearly so you get Polyamorous Zimmermanns instead. Yay!? I hope yay. Also sorry about the bit in the middle where it gets wildly angsty, idk... I tried.
> 
> I really hope you like this, somethingsalwayswrong. Happy Holidays!

The first time Alicia met Georgia Martin they were both nineteen at Samwell University. Georgia is one of her friend’s roommates. Alicia met her when she stops over to meet Emily. Georgia was sitting at her desk, brown hair pulled into a messy bun. Alicia caught her breath when she turned around. 

“Oh, right you two haven’t met.” Emily said with a smile. “George, this is my friend, Alicia. Alicia, my roommate George. She plays for the hockey team.” 

“It’s nice to meet you.” Alicia managed to say weakly. 

“Same to you.” Georgia answered with a small smile. Emily stared between the two of them grinning. 

“You know, I think you two would get along really well. We should definitely all get together sometime and hang out.” Emily said.

Later she basically forced Georgia’s number onto Alicia’s phone. She can’t say that she really minded. That was how it started. Alicia had never seriously considered dating girls before Georgia. She started considering it almost immediately after meeting Georgia. When she looks back she can’t even remember how it happened. How they went from being awkward, to flirtatious texts. She doesn’t know how they got to the days of Alicia trying and failing to remember enough of the Spanish she took in high school to carry a conversation and George teasing her mercilessly, but smiling at her for trying. How they went from friends to lovers. It happened fast. She remembered that much.

Georgia had been the girl of Alicia’s dreams. She was always so quick, with a sharp sense of humor, not to mention gorgeous with her beautiful thick hair, dark brown eyes and absurd hockey body. The two them were so good together. Georgia was the first love of her life. She understood Alicia, never tried to change her. Georgia didn’t care that Alicia was bi, and poly. Alicia always told her if she was considering dating someone else while they were together and Georgia was always understanding. She actually ended up being closer friends with one of Alicia’s ex-boyfriends than Alicia was. 

When they were together Alicia thought Georgia was end game for her. Of course, life doesn't always work that way. Alicia’s modelling career took off and Georgia was headed to the Olympic hockey team. Their lives dragged them in different directions, and eventually they just gave up. They both agreed that it was best to just call it quits. Alicia always regretted that they hadn’t worked out.

Georgia was the reason Alicia developed and interest in hockey, so in a way, she was the reason Alicia met Bob. She wished sometimes that she had kept contact with her. Alicia loved Bob though, more than anyone. She loved her husband, she loved her life. The two of them worked out well together. They both knew that they always loved each other most, but both of them were poly. It wasn’t just an open relationship; Alicia hated that phrase. She never just slept with random people and neither did Bob. Occasionally though, they would find someone incredible, and they dated. It doesn’t happen frequently, and it’s always a secret. The last thing they needed was a scandal about them being swingers or something ridiculous. Alicia kept their private lives private. No one knew when she dated a photographer named Ryan, who she met during a photoshoot, they were together for two years, Bob dated a woman named Ashley, for a year in the second year she and Ryan were together. Both relationships ended at around the same time. 

They both focused on just their relationship while they were trying to have kids, and when Jack is young. It’s not until he’s ten that either of them get back out there. That time it’s a woman who used to work with Alicia, and they both fall for her. Karen was more than happy to date both the Zimmermanns. They all dated for nearly four years. They didn’t tell Jack that Karen is Mama and Papa’s girlfriend. Alicia wasn’t ashamed of her relationships, but she didn’t want to confuse her son. Most ten year olds wouldn’t understand, and in the beginning they weren’t sure how long it will last. Jack actually called her Aunt Karen, which is… interesting. She was thinking about moving in with the Zimmermanns, they were thinking about telling Jack, and then… well, then a drunk driver happened. It was the worst day in Alicia’s life. She remembers getting the call like it was some horrible dream. The entire Zimmermann household mourned for a long time. Alicia remembered Jack, fourteen years old, crying so hard. He loved his Aunt Karen. It made Alicia wish they had told him, had asked her to move in earlier, had all just been a family. Karen had been driving home from their house, all she can think is that if it had just been Karen’s house too, it never would have happened. Neither Alicia nor Bob date for a long time after that. Alicia had more or less stopped considering it an option. She had loved many people, but there had only been three loves of her life: Georgia Martin, Bob Zimmermann, and Karen White. In the end, she thought getting to keep one out of three wasn’t that bad. 

Then, she went to Jack’s graduation. A lot had happened in Alicia’s life. She had changed. One thing didn’t; when she saw Georgia Martin she caught her breath. 

“Oh my god.” She gasped. “Bob, Jack’s manager, his George was my George. My ex-girlfriend.” She hissed under her breath to her husband. 

“Really?” he asked, looking around. He spotted Georgia and nodded appreciatively. 

“Oh, she’s beautiful.” He commented. “We should go talk to her.”

“No!” Alicia hissed, she was basically hiding behind Bob. 

“Why?” He asked, chuckling as he looked down at her. 

“Because she was the first love of my life and we only broke up because of circumstance not because we stopped loving each other, and she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, and now she’s my son’s manager!” She said, moving with him as he tried to turn away so she couldn’t hide. 

“So because you’re afraid you’re going to fall for her.” He said with a smirk. 

“Because I don’t think it’s biologically possible for me not to fall for her if I interact with her again, yes.” Alicia answered. “What if she’s married or something?! It’s been nearly thirty years, Bob!” 

“You’re married, never really been a problem before.” He said, still smirking at her. 

“Different!” She snapped. 

“Well, you never know until you try.” He said, trying to get her to stop crouching behind him. 

“I’m too old for this, Bob. I’m too old to be dating again. After everything that happened with Karen-” 

“Don’t use Karen as an excuse. She died nearly a decade ago Alicia, and she never would have wanted us to refuse a chance to fall in love because we lost her.” He scolded. 

“Well, I don’t see you getting back out there.” Alicia protested. 

“I’m not actively trying, we both stopped actively trying a long time ago, before Karen. Hell, by the time we were married. Our relationships since then just happened. But I haven’t closed myself off to the idea either.” he answered. “You should at least talk to Georgia. It’s going to happen eventually, she’s our son’s boss.”

“And you think it’s a good idea that I date our son’s boss?” Alicia asked in a last ditch attempt at escape. 

“I think it could be good for you.” Bob answered, “Come on.” He grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards Georgia.

“Georgia Martin!” he said with a smile. “We haven’t had the opportunity to meet, but Jack and Alicia have both told me great things.” Bob said with a grin. 

“Mr Zimmermann, it’s an honor to meet you.” Georgia said, shaking his hand. 

“Call me, Bob, please.” He said. “And of course you know Alicia.” He added, pushing his wife forwards. 

“Alicia Johnson.” Georgia said shaking her head. “It’s been too long.” 

“George.” Alicia said, smiling against her will. “I’ve missed you.” Georgia pulled her into a hug. 

“I can’t believe you married Zimmermann.” She teased. “You just decide hockey players were your thing?”

“Well, not only.” Alicia laughed. “What about you?” 

“Never got married. Work always got in the way. The Falcs are a great team, we’re glad to have your son.” she said. “God, that is so weird, your son is on my team. He’s older than we were the last time we saw each other!”

“Oh, god he is. I feel so old!” Alicia exclaimed. 

“Nonsense, you don’t look a day over thirty.” Georgia said.

“Oh, yes I do! Kids will do that to you. But you! You look amazing. You’re just as beautiful as the day I first met you.” Alicia said. Georgia shook her head, blushing a little. 

“Don’t be ridiculous. The only reason that could be true is because I was a mess the first day you met me. I was in the middle of studying for a midterm, I was in sweats and my hair was basically one big knot.” She laughed. 

“You were the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.” Alicia insisted. Her own cheeks flushed. “You still are.” She added, in Spanish. Georgia smiled. 

“Your Spanish always sucked.” She said fondly. She turned to Bob. “Is her French as bad as her Spanish?”

“Her accent is horrible, but she’s had a long time to work on both.” He answered. 

“You kept learning?” Georgia asked, in her native tongue. 

“Yes. I just… it reminded me of you.” Alicia answered, properly blushing now. “Besides, so many people in America speak Spanish, it’s ridiculous not to learn it.” 

“You live in Canada.” George pointed out. 

“I’m American, my son lives in America.” Alicia answered. 

“I’m going to go talk to Jack. You two chat!” Bob said before hurrying off. 

“Your husband seems nice.” George said, watching him leave. 

“I love him, but my husband is an interfering snake.” Alicia said, smiling at her husband and son. Georgia laughed. 

“Oh? And how is that?” She asked. 

“He made me come talk to you… I um, didn’t want to initially.” Alicia confessed. 

“Why?” Georgia looked legitimately hurt. Alicia took a deep breath.

“Because you’re intimidatingly beautiful and I can’t imagine a world in which I don’t fall for you all over again if we talk.” She answered in one big rush. Georgia stared, blinking for a few seconds. Out of the corner of her eye Alicia saw Bob and Jack talking, followed by Jack sprinting away. She hoped it was for a positive reason. 

“There’s an alumni event, were you going to go?” Georgia asked. Alicia nodded. 

“Well, we should get a drink. We’ll trade numbers.” George said. “Come on, I just saw Jack literally running away from your husband and I’m a little concerned.” She added. Bob was already headed towards them. 

“What is our son up to?” Alicia demanded when he reached them. 

“He’s off to get himself a boyfriend. Or I hope he is.” Bob answered, grinning. 

“Bittle?” Georgia asked. 

“I think so.” Bob agreed. Alicia nodded. Jack had a type, Eric Bittle was his type.

“You just fancy yourself a matchmaker today, don’t you?” Alicia asked her husband, who was smirking again.

“It’s working okay so far.” He said with a grin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Jack, honey, are you okay?” Bitty asked. Jack realized he hadn’t been focusing on what his boyfriend was saying. He refocused on the laptop screen. 

“Sorry, I’m just distracted.” He answered with a grimace. 

“Why?” Bitty asked. “What’s wrong?” 

“I think my mom is cheating on my dad.” Jack blurted. He didn’t mean to say it. He had been trying to avoid even thinking it. Bitty shook his head. 

“No! I’m sure it’s something else, honey. I’ve met your parents, and they love each other.” He protested. 

“They’ve always loved each other. They have never been one of those couples who seemed to just be together out of habit or anything. It’s why I didn’t think it was true at first. I have tried so hard to come up with any other explanation, but it keeps coming back to that.” Jack said shaking his head. 

“Why?” 

“It seems like half the time when I call my dad says she’s out. Once it was like midnight back home and he said she was at a friend’s place. She never does that. She’s been in Boston or Providence way more than usual, which normally I would assume was for me but she always just pops by or gets lunch with me and then is busy the rest of the weekend, and Papa never comes with her these days.” Jack explained. “And she keeps texting, which is also, unlike her she was never big on texting, she always loved actually talking to people.” 

“Okay so that doesn’t sound good, but it could easily be something else.” Bitty offered. 

“I saw her phone once, I have no idea what it said, it was all in Spanish. I didn’t even know she knew Spanish. But the person she was texting was in her phone as George with a heart next to it.” Jack said. “She’s not the type to put emojis next to friend’s names. All her friends are in her phone by their full names. The only one with a nickname is my dad, he’s Bob, with a heart.” Jack said grimly. Bitty grimaced. 

“Okay, so that sounds… really bad.” He admitted. 

“It sounds like my mom is cheating on my dad with a guy in Boston named George!” Jack exclaimed. 

“Maybe.” Bitty admitted. “But you never know. Seriously, stranger things have happened. Maybe whoever George is entered his or her phone number for her and that’s why the emoji?” He offered. 

“Why are you being gender neutral?” Jack asked, noticing. Bitty shrugged. 

“I don’t know, I hate to assume. I don’t know that your mom is straight and it’s not like we don’t know a woman named George.” He said. Jack’s jaw dropped. 

“My mom’s Bi.” He said quietly, “She told me when I came out to her. “And she and George, my George, my manager… they were friends back in college. My dad told me that. George lives in Providence, and she’s Mexican. Bits, Spanish was her first language!”

“So your mom and your manager are just reunited old friends?” Bitty offered. 

“Or my mom is cheating on my dad with my manager.” He pointed out. 

“Don’t assume the worst, honey. Why don’t you just talk to your mom about all this, sort it out?” Bitty asked. “Or even George, you two get along great.” 

“What just go into George’s office and say ‘Hey, just thought I’d ask, are you sleeping with my mother?’ That’d be great.” Jack said flatly. 

“Okay, so maybe not. All I’m saying, is don’t jump to any conclusions. We don’t know what’s going on and we shouldn’t make any judgements until we do.” Bitty said gently. Jack nodded grumpily as bitty tried to move the conversation into happier areas. 

He was right though. Jack knew he shouldn’t jump to conclusions. However, he was also definitely not asking George about what’s going on. So when he walked into his manager’s office a week later he was not going there to talk about her relationship status. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack just meant to ask George a quick question before heading to the locker room to get ready for the game. Instead, he walked into the office at the exact moment that his mother, Alicia Zimmermann, kissed George hello. She said something in Spanish that Jack didn’t understand. George noticed Jack first, clearing her throat and looking a little panicked. 

“Jack! Heey….” She said awkwardly. “Really didn’t mean for you to see that.” 

《Maman, what the hell?!》Jack demanded. 《How could you do this to Papa?》

“Jack, don’t be ridiculous.” Alicia said calmly. “I would never cheat on your father.” Jack had no words, he just gestured at the two of them helplessly. 

“It’s not like that!” George insisted, blushing. 

“Jack, your father knows about George and I. He’s okay with it.” Alicia explained to her son. He just stared. She sighed and then her eyes lit up. “Ask him yourself.” She said as Bob came into the room. 

“Bob, love, tell our son that I would never cheat on you.” She pleaded. He laughed. 

“Where would he get that idea?” Bob asked, then saw the way Jack was looking at George and Alicia. “Oh. Oh, no, Jack it’s fine. I was the one who set your mother and Georgia up.” He said with a smile. Jack sat down in the nearest chair. He had no idea what was going on and he was struggling a little. 

“What?” He asked weakly. 

“I’m polyamorous Jack.” His mother said gently. “Both your father and I are. We love each other more than anything. However, occasionally we do still fall in love with other people too.” 

“So you have-”

“Don’t say open relationship.” Bob said quickly. “Your mother doesn’t like that word.”

“It makes me sound like a floozy.” Alicia insisted, scowling. “I don’t just sleep with whoever whenever. I occasionally have serious relationships with people besides my husband, if and only if we are all okay with it. And he does the same.” 

“How did I not know this? Why didn’t you tell me this?” Jack asked. 

“Well, neither of us have dated anyone in a very long time, Jack.” Bob answered. “It’s been just the two of us for nearly ten years. And even when we did date other people, it was always very secretive, the last thing we needed was the media getting involved.”

“We did think about telling you once.” Alicia said gently. “Your Aunt Karen…”

“She was your girlfriend?” Jack asked. His mom nodded. 

“Yes. Both of ours actually. All three of us were in a relationship for nearly four years, starting when you were ten.” Alicia answered. “We… we were going to tell you, you were old enough to understand, and she was thinking about moving in with us. And then… well afterwards it was just a little too hard to talk about.” 

“Crisse, I’m sorry.” Jack said, realizing how much more horrible it must have been for his parents to lose Aunt Karen than he had thought. 

“It was a long time ago.” Bob said. “We still miss her, but we’re okay. And now your mother has Georgia.”

“We used to date in college.” Alicia explained. “When we met again… well, we just work together.” 

“I fully support this relationship. George makes your mother happy. It’s all positive Jack.” Bob said with a smile. 

“I just... “ Jack shook his head. “Good for you I guess… I’m just… I’m gonna… see you later.” He all but ran from the room. He fumbled with his phone and called Bitty.

“Hey, honey! What’s up?” Bitty asked. 

“My mom isn’t cheating on my dad.” Jack answered. “She’s dating George and my dad knows and they’re all just okay with it. And apparently my Aunt Karen, I told you about Aunt Karen, was their girlfriend like all three of them were… and just… yeah.” 

“Oh!” Bitty exclaimed. “I did not expect that…” 

“Me neither.” Jack answered. “I mean I just… this is really messing with my head, but they all seem happy and I just…”

“Call Shitty.” Bitty instructed. “If anyone can help you come to terms with your parents’ polyamorous relationship, it’s him.” 

“Yeah, okay.” Jack agreed. “Good plan.”

“Okay, good luck in your game today, sweetheart.” Bitty said. “Talk to you later.” 

“Yeah, love you.” Jack said before hanging up. He stared at his phone for a while, trying to comprehend what was happening. He called Shitty. He had to get used to this, because he knew one thing. His mom, dad, and manager all seemed really happy. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alicia glanced around at her husband and girlfriend.

“Well, that could have gone better.” She muttered. Bob shook his head. 

“Jack will come around honey, we just dropped a hell of a lot on the poor kid.” He said. “But he loves you more than anyone. And he likes George.” 

“I feel like this is going to make our interactions… a little awkward.” George said, grimacing. 

“He’ll do his best.” Bob said with a smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alicia woke up next to a familiar warm body curled around her. She rolled over to face her partner. George blinked awake, mouth stretching into a lazy smile. Alicia pecked her on the lips. 

“Good morning darling.”

“Good morning.” George answered. She glanced over Alicia’s shoulder. “Where’s Bob?” 

“Not sure.” Alicia said. They all slept in Alicia and Bob’s bed when George came to stay, which these days was frequently. She had her own dresser in their room, and her things took up permanent residence in all parts of their house. Those were the best nights, the nights that Alicia fell asleep with her husband on one side of her, and her partner on the other. Before she can get up to look for her husband there’s a light knock on the door. Bob doesn’t hesitate before he comes in. He has a huge breakfast tray in his hands. 

“Good Morning, lovely ladies.” He said with a smile. “You two slept in, I couldn’t bring myself to wake you, so I made breakfast.” 

“You’re so sweet.” George says, kissing Bob on the cheek when he leans down to set the tray over their laps. 

“Ce n’est rien.” He said, leaning over to peck Alicia on the lips. 

“Thank you dear.” She said, grinning at him.

“Thank Eric.” Bob chuckled. “If it wasn’t for that boy and his ability to teach you’d be eating burnt toast. Or a protein shake courtesy of our son. He’s up by the way, already went for a run… outside.” He said

“It’s Christmas Eve!” George protested, “It has to be negative ten degrees out there with wind chill.” She added. Alicia laughed. 

“Oh, don’t act like you weren’t the same way back in the day, minus the tolerance to cold. Bob was the same, maybe slightly less dedicated, but never had a care for the weather. Jack grew up here. Of course, cold is nothing to him.” She told with a fond smile. 

“Not even I would have left a warm cuddly partner on the morning of christmas eve to go for a run.” Bob said rolling his eyes. “Eric’s still asleep by the way. I made him a tray as well, let Jack take it to him.” He added.

“You’re just spoiling this whole family.” George laughed. Bob grinned at her. 

“I do my best.” He answered. Alicia grinned to herself, because this is her family. Bob and George, and Jack and Eric. She loved all of them so dearly. She never thought she could be this lucky. She hadn’t thought it was possible to be this happy. 

They spent all of Christmas Eve together as a family watching silly Christmas movies, playing board games, and singing Christmas music. Eric danced around the kitchen, mixing bowl in hand. Jack laughing and dodging the small bursts of flour his boyfriend kept sending his way. After that they decorated cookies. Bob and Georgia made their gingerbread men into hockey players. Bitty turned them into pop stars. Jack managed to make a passable attempt at a cookie cast of Hamilton. Alicia decorated five cookies as their family, then with a small smile makes another one that looks like Karen. 

She ate that cookie that night as they all settled into the living room to watch It’s a Wonderful Life, a Christmas Eve tradition. Alicia Zimmermann sat in her beautiful home, her son and the boy she already sees as a son-in-law curled up on the love-seat. On either side of Alicia are the two loves of her life. Everyone she loves is happy. It was, in a lot of ways, a perfect day. In the end, Alicia thought she’s had three loves of her life, and two out of three really isn’t that bad.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought!


End file.
